History VideoGame / SonicStorybookSeries

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Compared to his other game portrayals, Sonic's snarky attitude was more emphasized in both ''Storybook'' games, similar to both his ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'' portrayals.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Compared to his other game portrayals, Sonic's snarky attitude was more emphasized in both ''Storybook'' games, similar to both his [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM SatAM]] and [[WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground Underground]] portrayals.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Compared to his other game portrayals, Sonic's snarky attitude was more emphasized in both ''Storybook'' games, similar to both his [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM SatAM]] and [[WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground Underground]]

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Sonic's snarky attitude was more emphasized in both ''Storybook'' games than in his other game portrayals.

* MadLibFantasyTitle: Both games. ''Sonic & The'': insert fantasy title right here.

* VillainOfTheWeek: Both games feature unique one-shot villains in place of Dr. Eggman. Eggman only appears as a minor role in ''Sonic and the Secret Rings'' by proxy of his storybook counterpart King Shahryar, and he is completely absent from ''Sonic And The Black Knight''.

* ''VideoGame/SonicAndTheBlackKnight'' (2009), based on the legend of Myth/KingArthur.

* RecycledInSpace: It's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' but with Tales of The Arabian Nights and magic rings and King Arthur and The Knights of The Round Table medival fantasy and sword action.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sonicstorybook.png]]

* ''Sonic and the Secret Rings'' (2007), based on [[Literature/ArabianNights 1001 Nights]]: Came about due to the time issues with attempting to port ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' for the Nintendo Wii, in time for launch.
* ''Sonic and the Black Knight'' (2009), based on the legend of Myth/KingArthur.

!!Tropes exclusive to ''Secret Rings'':
* AdaptationalHeroism: As the resident stand-in for King Shahryar, Dr. Eggman is not so much evil as a petty {{Jerkass}}, even serving as a minor ally to Sonic's quest at one point.
* AdaptationalVillainy: The Genie of the Lamp is a villain in this game.
* ArabianNightsDays: It ''is'' an adaptation of 1001 Nights, after all.
* ArrowsOnFire: The curse Erazor places on Sonic takes the form of a flaming arrow embedded in his chest.
* ArtisticLicensePaleontology: All of the dinosaurs in Dinosaur Jungle possess horns and spikes, even the ones that are not supposed to have them. In the case of the ''Triceratops'', it has ''an extra horn protruding from each cheek''.
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Erazor Djinn gets painfully humiliated by Sonic, sealed in his lamp forever, and then gets destroyed for good when his lamp is thrown into lava. After all the hell he put Sonic, Shahra, and the rest of the Arabian Nights through, he truly deserved that fate.]]
* BarefootCartoonAnimal: Darkspine Sonic.
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: This was likely the reason why Shahra [[spoiler:sacrificed herself for Sonic's sake and did not jump to Erazor's defense whilst he was dooming him to his eternal prison]]. Sonic was probably the first master who treated her with genuine kindness and concern, who didn't disrespect her or treat her like magical property who can fulfill his wildest dreams.
%%* BenevolentGenie: Shahra.
%%** Erazor, too, ironically: when he grants Sonic's three wishes.
%%* BigFancyCastle: Night Palace.
* BilingualBonus: Erazor Djinn's transformed state, Alf Layla wa-Layla is part of the Arabic name for the 1001 Nights (Kitab Alf layla wa-layla). Given a bit of a LampshadeHanging by Erazor during the transformation, as he shouts, "[[IAmTheNoun I AM the Arabian Nights!]]"
* BleakLevel: Skeleton Dome.
* BodyHorror: [[spoiler:The horrifyingly painful transformation Erazor goes through when he absorbs the World Rings.]]
* BookEnds: Sonic's first and last wishes are for handkerchiefs.
* BottomlessPits: Levitated Ruin ''appears'' to consist of mostly this, but it's actually pretty hard to fall off due to invisible walls. Oh, you can lose rings alright...
* TheCameo: Big the Cat can be spotted in all of the levels in the game. To trigger his appearance, you have to stand still in a specific spot on the level for a couple of seconds. You also get a page of his diary whenever you do so.
* CatchingSomeZs: Sonic's snoring is subtitled as Z's.
* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:The item Shahra gives Sonic after gaining the World Ring in Levitated Ruin turns out to be Erazor's lamp, which he turns on him in the ending.]]
* ClippedWingAngel: Although neither are depicted as weak, [[spoiler:both Alf Layla Wa Layla and Darkspine Sonic]] are this in the grand scheme due to neither of them actually utilizing all of the World Rings properly. [[spoiler:Erazor]] tries to use them [[ImperfectRitual without actually having done the ritual correctly]] and ends up malformed and grotesque. [[spoiler:Darkspine Sonic]], on the other hand, was formed using only the rings of Rage, Hatred, and Sorrow combined with [[spoiler:Shahara's]] residual power. While [[spoiler:Sonic]] is able to pull it off well enough to get the job done, [[spoiler:Erazor]] almost immediately goes into SuperPowerMeltdown.
-->'''Sonic:''' You're just some... incomplete monster...
* DarkIsNotEvil: Darkspine Sonic, the form Sonic takes after unintentionally absorbing the World Rings of Sadness, Rage, and Hatred. Whilst his appearance gives off vibes of great evil (Purple-Indigo color scheme, NoMouth, blank pupil-less GlowingEyesOfDoom), this definitely isn't the case regarding his personality and actions. Whilst undoubtedly vicious, Darkspine acts entirely in the interests of the Arabian Nights and even seems to be insecure as he begs for Shahra's power and calls out to her during the battle against Alf Layla Wa-Layla. [[BewareTheNiceOnes He's just focused all that negative emotion squarely on Erazor's head.]]
* DefiantToTheEnd: [[spoiler:Erazor's attitude even as he is being sucked into his lamp for eternity is to try and talk Shahra into stopping Sonic, and he even insults Sonic by calling him a dirty rat. He even boasts about how the world belongs to him.]]
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: Shahra dies in Sonic's arms after taking the bullet for him. [[spoiler:She gets better.]]
* DontCallMeSir: Sonic will not be addressed as 'Master'.
* EternalEngine: Evil Foundry.
* ExtremeMeleeRevenge: Darkspine Sonic does this to Alf Layla wa-Layla after seeing his only companion in the entire game get [[spoiler:temporarily]] killed. He beats the crap out of Alf Layla furiously with his bare hands.
* EvilLaugh: When Erazor is bragging to Sonic about how he is immortal and can't be truly defeated, he gives a straight "Mua ha ha ha ha!" laugh [[spoiler:before [[OhCrap he finds out that Sonic is holding his lamp]]]].
* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler:Sonic wishes for Erazor to be sealed in the lamp for the rest of time, and then he drops the lamp into the furnace. It's unknown whether the lamp survived or not — or if it took Erazor with it if it didn't.]]
* FinalBossNewDimension: The fight against Alf-Layla-wa-Layla takes place in a giant black void. Considering that at this point, all but the last few pages of the Arabian Nights have been sucked dry, this makes sense.
* FireOfComfort: Sonic's (Presumed) house has a pretty comfortable-looking fireplace.
* FogFeet: Shahra appears like this for most of the opening cutscene.
* GangplankGalleon: Pirate Storm.
* GenderFlip: The Genie of the Ring is female in this game. Both genies in the original Aladdin story are male.
* GenieInABottle: Erazor and Shahra are the genies of the Lamp and Ring, respectively, from Aladdin. However, Erazor ain't no Creator/RobinWilliams [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Disney Genie]], that's for sure.
* TheGlovesComeOff: Darkspine Sonic's entire attitude when it comes to fighting Alf Layla Wa-Layla. Not only does he look like Shadow with his quills down, not only does he ''kick a giant blue ball of Arabian Nights back at his opponent'', not only does he ''pummel the transformed Djinn in the protruding heart with his bare hands'', but ''[[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking he does not wear gloves]]''.
* GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath: King Solomon's eyes appear like this.
* GoodIsNotSoft: [[spoiler:Sonic painfully inflicting wishes upon Erazor, as well as sealing him away in his lamp forever, would come off as [[WhatTheHellHero chilling]] (especially in comparison to his treatment of [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure Chaos]]) [[KickTheSonOfABitch if Erazor hadn't been established as a truly evil being throughout the game]].]]
* GoodMorningCrono: Happens at the beginning with Shara trying to wake up Sonic. Give the poor guy credit, though; it was 2:55 in the morning!
* GutturalGrowler: Darkspine Sonic has a very sinister angry growl of a voice.
* HateSink: Erazor Djinn is a power-hungry, unempathetic, and purely self-serving douchebag who has nothing remotely sympathetic or likable going for him (aside from a FreudianExcuse of being mistreated in the past, which [[DisproportionateRetribution in no way justifies]] [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse his current behavior]]), and he acts extremely arrogant and haughty towards everyone around him. He treats Shahra like dirt and after her sacrifice, he has the gall to mock her as being weak. And to say nothing of how he puts Sonic's life on the line to further his own ends, and talks down to him and insults him as being a rat. [[spoiler:You won't so much as shed a tear for him when Sonic seals him in the lamp forever and destroys it.]]
* HeartbeatSoundtrack: Plays whenever Time Break is used.
* HeroicSacrifice: Shahra dies saving Sonic from being killed by Erazor. [[spoiler:Fortunately, she gets better.]]
* IAmNotWeasel: Sonic ''[[BerserkButton really]]'' doesn't like it when Erazor calls him a rat.
* IncendiaryExponent: Sonic is literally on fire throughout pretty much the entirety of the game due to the Flame Arrow sticking out of his chest.
* ImperfectRitual: Erazor Djinn's ultimate plan to get control of the [[RuleOfSeven seven]] [[MacGuffin World Rings]] involved sacrificing Sonic, who he had coerced into collecting the rings using a life-draining curse, as he can't use their true power as long as their collector is alive. When Shahra [[TakingTheBullet takes the bullet]] for Sonic, Erazor decides to settle for Shahra's sacrifice instead. This bites him in the ass; not only does he become a [[BodyHorror deformed]] EldritchAbomination without full mastery of the Rings, but a [[BewareTheNiceOnes rip-roaringly pissed Sonic]] steals three of the Rings from him, using them to power up and [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown rip Erazor a new one]].
* InsistentTerminology: Justified: Sonic is ''most certainly '''not''''' a rat, regardless of what Erazor might say. [[spoiler:This turns into an epic ShutUpHannibal when he's sealing Erazor away.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Erazor:''' I cannot be denied by this filthy rat! ''Whyyyyyyyyy?'']]
-->[[spoiler:'''Sonic:''' ''(flips open the lamp to let Erazor in)'' I told you, I'm not a rat! ''(closes lamp and raises tip, revealing flame on the end)'' I'm a HEDGEHOG. ''(blows out flame)'']]
* InstantWakingSkills: Sonic in the opening cutscene, though the shock of seeing Shahra for the first time may have contributed to his sudden wakefulness.
* JackassGenie: Erazor Djinn. [[spoiler:However, as shown by what happens to him when Sonic forces him to grant his wishes, he can't seem to act against the spirit of the wishes or twist them into something worse.]]
* JustifiedTutorial: Almost all of the "Lost Prologue" missions.
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:Erazor's mocking of Shahra as a "mere Genie of the Ring" moments after murdering her.]]
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler:Sonic inflicting painful and humiliating wishes onto Erazor Djinn and then sealing him in his lamp forever and destroying it. In any other context, this would be shockingly cruel for Sonic[[note]]especially since Sonic had previously shown mercy and compassion to [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure Chaos]], who had [[FreudianExcuse a similar backstory]] about being mistreated, abused, and ''absolutely livid'' (granted, Chaos wasn't mistreated ''directly'', but the abuse suffered by the Chao it was protecting ''was'' pretty awful) — Sonic made a point of trying to resolve Chaos's [[MadGod anger issues]] rather than just [[SealedEvilInACan sealing it away again]][[/note]], but in this case, Erazor was just ''that'' evil of a person and it is absolutely understandable that he had this fate.]]
* LargeHam: Erazor. And what a ham it is.
* LethalLavaLand: Evil Foundry.
* LevelsTakeFlight: Levitated Ruin is set on a flock of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roc_(mythology) rukhs]]. The stage gets its name because they carry the ruins of small cities on their backs.
* LightIsNotGood: Alf Layla wa-Layla[[note]]the form Erazor Djinn takes after his [[HeroicSacrifice botched]] attempt at sacrificing Sonic's life (resulting in his inability to properly control the World Rings)[[/note]] was formed by Erazor absorbing the World Rings of Prayer, Joy, Pleasure, and Wishes.
* LiteralGenie: Shahra is actually this, as shown by Sonic's first and third wish.
* MacGuffinDeliveryService: Justified: the one who gathers the World Rings is the one who needs to be sacrificed for someone to get control over them, so Erazor ''had'' to have someone else gather them for him. [[spoiler:When he sacrifices Shahra [[TakingTheBullet by mistake]], it results in an incomplete transformation.]]
* MagicCarpet: Used by Sonic and Shahra in several cutscenes, as well as in one part of Night Palace's first mission.
* MarkedChange: Darkspine Sonic.
* MeaningfulEcho: Sonic's last wish of handkerchiefs for Shahra is a throwback to his very first wish.
* MineralMacGuffin: The World Rings.
* MortonsFork: Basically, no matter what Sonic does, he'll lose. Either he gives the World Rings to Erazor hoping to have his flame arrow removed whilst juggling with the idea that Erazor will [[HumanSacrifice use him as a sacrifice]] to gain true control of the Rings, or he doesn't and the flame arrow kills him anyway. [[spoiler:Lucky that Shahra threw a wrench into his works via self-sacrifice, preventing Erazor from gaining true control of the World Rings and bringing about a series of events that ultimately worked in Sonic's favor.]]
* MundaneWish: Sonic's first wish after being asked what he wants by Shahra? ''Handkerchiefs.'' Though to be fair, he was in desperate need of some at the time because of a sneezing fit caused by a cold he had come down with a day before.
** [[spoiler:[[BookEnds He makes this same wish in the end]], when Shahra is in need of them.]]
* MySignificanceSenseIsTingling[=/=]SpiderSense: In the first mission of Dinosaur Jungle, Sonic remarks that his quills are starting to "tingle" before a T-rex smashes through a rock wall to attack him.
* NamedByTheAdaptation: The Genie of the Lamp is named "Erazor" and the Genie of the Ring is named "Shahra". They are unnamed in the original Aladdin.
* NintendoHard: The later missions are all insanely hard, and mostly consist of the Avoid the Pearls/No Damage/X Ring Chain variety with crazy obstacles. They're optional, though.
* OhCrap: [[spoiler:Erazor when he realizes that Sonic has his lamp and thus can ''force'' him to grant him three wishes.]]
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Erazor has a rare not-quite-according-to-plan version happen to himself when he absorbs the World rings.]]
* OpenSesame: Sonic tries uttering this at the World Ring door. It doesn't work.
* OpportunisticBastard: Erazor meant to shoot Shahra with the flame arrow, but Sonic [[TakingTheBullet took the bullet]] and was inflicted with a [[TheWorseningCurseMark life-draining curse]]. Using it to his advantage, Erazor coerces Sonic into gathering the World Rings for him in exchange for having it removed.
* OurGeniesAreDifferent: Shahra, Erazor, and the other Djinn.
* PainfulTransformation: Judging by the sounds of Sonic and Erazor's screams mid-transformation, as well as the straight-up BodyHorror Erazor experiences, achieving the World Rings' version of a SuperMode is ''not'' a pleasant experience. (Granted, neither of them were using the World Rings' power correctly, due to Shahra interfering in the ritual to activate their power.)
* PerfectHealth: Sonic's cold seems to disappear after the first cutscene.
* PinkySwear: Sonic does this with Shahra, promising that he'll have her smiling by the end of their adventure.
* PortalBook
* PowerMakesYourHairGrow: Darkspine Sonic has quite long, downward-pointing quills.
* ThePowerOfHate: One of the World Rings Darkspine Sonic used to transform was the Green one, which contains hatred. Therefore, Darkspine is effectively powered by hatred. [[spoiler:Considering Erazor just murdered Shahra, Sonic's got ''plenty'' of that.]]
* PunnyName: E''razor'' Djinn, who uses a giant straight ''razor'' as a sword.
** Erazor = Eraser; he wants to erase the stories of the Literature/ArabianNights.
* {{Prehistoria}}: Dinosaur Jungle.
* RocBirds: The Rukhs double as a sky-based sort of TurtleIsland in that a civilization had been built on the backs of a flock of Rukhs in the past, each of them carrying roughly a city block's worth. Appropriately, they are found only in the stage known as [[LevelsTakeFlight Levitated]] [[RuinsForRuinsSake Ruin]].
* RPGElements
* SaveBothWorlds: The point of the plot. If the Erazor Djinn successfully gets the World Rings, he'll be able to destroy the Arabian Nights and escape into Sonic's world to wreak havoc there.
* SealedEvilInACan: Erazor was sealed inside his lamp by King Solomon some time before the story starts. He manages to escape after granting the wishes of one thousand people, just to cause even more mayhem. Sonic manages to reseal him inside his lamp and finish him off once and for all.
* SeriesContinuityError: A completely self-contained example. In one scene, Sonic says he is the only one who can touch the World Rings, and he bets he can do so because he is not from the world of the Arabian Nights. Except that earlier, Sinbad said the pirates stole the World Ring he uses that control the storms, meaning Sonic's reasoning don't really hold much weight.
* ShiftingSandLand: Sand Oasis.
* ShipTease: A bit between Sinbad and Shahra in ''The Secret Rings'' as she and Sonic attempt to free him from his captivity. He chuckles nervously around her.
* StockDinosaurs: ''Tyrannosaurus rex'', ''Triceratops'', ''Apatosaurus'', ''Parasaurolophus'', ''Pteranodon'', ''Stegosaurus'', and ''Allosaurus'' all appear in "Dinosaur Jungle".
* SuperMode: [[spoiler:Darkspine Sonic, a result of Sonic absorbing the green, red, and purple World Rings to fight the mutated Erazor.]]
* TakingTheBullet: Used twice throughout the story:
** After the initial Lost Prologue missions, where Sonic takes a flaming arrow to the chest for Shahra.
** [[spoiler:Right before the final fight, where Shahra takes a fatal blow from Erazor's sword to protect Sonic.]]
* [[TargetedHumanSacrifice Targeted Hedgehog Sacrifice]]: As the one who collected all seven World Rings, Sonic was meant to be sacrificed for Erazor to gain control over them. When he kills [[spoiler:Shahra]] instead, he ''does'' get their power, but he's stated in-game as being incomplete.
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Erazor when Sonic is permanently sealing him inside his lamp.]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Erazor:''' ''"Shahra, I know you're there! Please, stop him! We can start over, the two of us! I swear! I swear it! The world is mine! I cannot be denied by that filthy rat! Whyyyyy?!"'']]
* VoiceOfTheLegion: When Erazor Djinn [[spoiler:uses the World Rings to transform into Alf-Layla wa-Layla]], he speaks in a more high-pitched and distorted voice.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After the final boss, the flaming arrow on Sonic's chest just disappears without explanation. Presumably, absorbing the power of three of the World Rings and effectively becoming a limited RealityWarper just took care of the problem.
* WorkingThroughTheCold: Sonic has a cold at the beginning of the story, but it doesn't stop him from going on an adventure to save the Arabian Nights storybook.
* TheWorseningCurseMark: The size of the flame on Sonic's chest is directly proportionate to how much time he has left until it extinguishes along with his life force. Near the end of the game, ''it is tiny.''
* WreathedInFlames: Two words: Speed Break.
* YourDaysAreNumbered: Sonic's predicament upon being struck by the flame arrow.

!!Tropes exclusive to ''Black Knight'':
* HundredPercentHeroismRating: Successfully completing missions will cause Sonic to gather a number of followers proportional to how well he does in the mission (each mission has a specific total number of followers you can collect).
* AbsenteeActor: One of the few ''Sonic'' games in which Eggman does not appear in any capacity.
* AbsurdlySharpBlade: [[spoiler:"There's nothing Excalibur can't cut through."]]
* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: Knight's Passage.
* AdaptationalBadass: Well, only by comparison. While they were very strong, this game ups the Knights of the Round Table by giving them the abilities of Sonic's friends, giving Lancelot Chaos powers, Percival pyrokinesis, and Galahad telekinesis.
* AdaptationalHeroism: The Lady Of the Lake.
* AdaptationalVillainy: King Arthur of all people. Although justified in that he was [[NotAlwaysEvil corrupted in the game's storyline]].
* AdaptedOut: There are no Sonic characters cast as Arthur's wife Guinevere or Morgan le Fay.
* AnAesop: As Sonic puts it, "there's more to life than just serving a king." Also, verything has to end eventually, and it's better to have lived a good life with no regrets than to be stuck in an unending circle of monotony.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: When Sir Gawain proclaims a knight who fails their king is unfit to live, Sonic asks him "Isn't there more to being a knight than just serving a king?"
* ArtifactOfDoom: The scabbard of Excalibur has a remarkable habit of serving as TheCorrupter. After receiving it from Nimue, King Arthur became a power-hungry tyrant. [[spoiler:Merlina's efforts to depose the king were actually to take the scabbard for herself.]]
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Thanks to a CriticalResearchFailure--while the game talks a great deal about the western warrior code called chivalry, after a while it becomes apparent that the game has it confused with the Japanese warrior code ''bushido''. In particular, Sir Gawain is so humiliated by losing his boss fight that he tries to commit ''seppuku''; one wonders when ''Arthur-dono'' imposed this penalty.[[note]]Suicide has always been unlawful in Christianity, which as the dominant religion in Europe was a major influence in the development of chivalry.[[/note]]
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning
* AWorldHalfFull: Seems to be Sonic's main argument against [[spoiler:Merlina's]] freezing Camelot. The kingdom may be destined to fall someday, but good people can and do make a difference.
* {{BFS}}: King Arthur's sword, the Deathcalibur, which is actually ''[[MadeOfMagic produced]]'' by the Scabbard of Excalibur itself.
** The final boss, [[spoiler:Merlina/The Dark Queen,]] has ''four'' gargantuan swords used to fight Sonic. [[spoiler:They're gargantuan Deathcaliburs.]]
** Whilst Sonic, Gawain, Percival, and Lancelot's swords are normal-sized, they're still longer than the characters are tall (since Sonic characters are usually between 3' and 3'6", making their swords about three feet in length from tip to hilt, which is about average for a normal blade). [[spoiler:Excalibur]] is even bigger.
* BigFancyCastle: Camelot Castle, Knight's Passage and Faraway Avalon.
* BigNo: Sonic does this when [[spoiler:Caliburn is bisected by the Dark Queen]].
** And when he loses his chili dog at the beginning.
* BlackKnight:
** Sir Lancelot wears dark gunmetal-grey armor to go with his black-furred body.
** King Arthur himself as the titular "Black Knight," although it's actually a very dark shade of ''gold''.
** [[spoiler:Dark Queen Merlina's battle form is a giant blue-and-black-armored spectral King Arthur. When she TurnsRed, the armor goes completely black.]]
* BladeBrake: All the player characters can do this.
* TheCameo: [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Silver]] and [[VideoGame/SonicRiders Jet]] also have Round Table alternates, but they only appear in multiplayer.
* CavalierConsumption: Sonic seems more interested in eating his Chili Dog(s) than taking Arthur and his Mooks seriously.
* ChestMonster: In various levels, the red chests (which usually contain loot) can suddenly transform into hostile, sharp-teeth monsters that flee when you get close.
* CluelessAesop: The game talks a lot about chivalry and heroics, but it doesn't do a very good job of it.
** Both the beginning and end of the game make note of the fact that, as an enemy of the king [[spoiler:and then someone trying to save the kingdom]], Sonic is abandoning the role of "hero", which Sonic doesn't mind, but the game then neglects to explain what that actually means, especially in the context of King Arthur being an obvious EvilOverlord. Worse, the game has a mechanic allowing Sonic to earn a HundredPercentHeroismRating, regardless of which Sonic will still accept the role of "bad guy" with a shrug during the FinalBattle.
** Multiple characters talk about what it means to be a knight, but outside of one or two claims about what specific actions a knight should do, nobody articulates a coherent ethic of chivalry or whether anyone is failing to uphold it. Indeed, as per ArtisticLicenseHistory above, the game also accidentally confuses chivalry with ''bushido''.
* ContinuityNod: ''Black Knight'' has a few instances in the levels where Sonic talks about past experiences that something reminds him of.
** Several themes from previous games are also used in shortened forms for characters, [[MemeticMutation including the often-mocked and parodied]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg5ABm1WaI4 Unknown from M.E. for Knuckles.]]
* CrushBlush: Percival (Blaze) blushes lightly after Caliburn says "Save the hugs and kisses for later" towards her and Sonic.
* DarkReprise: [[spoiler:''With Me'', the Dark Queen's battle theme, is both this and a Boss Remix for Merlina's Leitmotif.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: Lancelot is, in Sonic's world, Shadow. He acts as a somewhat condescending, but honorable foe, and [[spoiler:joins Sonic after the DiscOneFinalBoss]].
** [[DarkIsEvil Played straight with]] [[spoiler:Merlina]], who dons a darker coloured costume [[spoiler: after her betrayal]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Caliburn.
-->'''Caliburn:''' ...Onward, young knave!
-->'''Sonic:''' Stop calling me "knave"!! I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!
-->'''Caliburn:''' Very well, then. I shall call you Knave the Hedgehog.
** Sonic has this part of his personality turned up a few notches, too.
-->'''Lancelot:''' Will you ''abandon your sword'' and flee?
-->'''Sonic:''' Sounds good to me!
%%* DeathMountain: Titanic Plain and Great Megalith.
* DragonsVersusKnights: Fittingly, the first and penultimate boss is a winged dragon, each protecting a magical sword Sonic needs to complete his quest of knighthood and save Camelot from dark magic.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Knuckles/Gawain, after losing to Sonic in a duel. Sonic confiscates his sword before he can go through with it.]]
* DualWielding: Knuckles/Gawain employs two swords at all times.
* EccentricMentor: Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The game is often commended for demonstrating Sonic's personality very well.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: [[spoiler:As the Queen of the Underworld, Merlina dons a dark green, purple, and gold PimpedOutDress]] rather than [[spoiler:her]] usual pink colour scheme.
* EvilVersusEvil: Downplayed but still present between [[spoiler:King Arthur and [[AntiVillain Merlina]]. One has become DrunkOnTheDarkSide and terrorizing the kingdom he's supposed to rule with monsters from the Underworld. The other wants to stop him... but only so that she can get her hands on the scabbard with which to enact her own scheme to make the kingdom eternal to prevent its eventual destruction, which as a consequence warps the land with dark magic and releases the armies of the Underworld as well]].
* ExcaliburInTheStone: Subverted: It seems that the two are separate swords at first, but then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Caliburn (which Sonic has been carrying around for the entire game) is actually the true Excalibur]].
* FakeOutFadeOut: [[spoiler:The game rolls the credits after you defeat King Arthur, but the game is nowhere close to over.]]
* FinalBossNewDimension: Dark Hollow.
* FishOutOfWater: Sonic has no idea how to wield a blade or how to behave chivalrously and must learn as he progresses through the story.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** Merlina takes a moment early on in the game to pick a small flower and quietly muse to herself the futility of their blooming when they're destined to wither, though upon noticing Sonic staring at her she quickly brushes it off. [[spoiler:This shows the [[StrawNihilist core of her villainy]] and [[WellIntentionedExtremist her desire to find a way to stop this end from happening to Camelot]].]]
** Only with all of the sacred swords together can Sonic nullify King Arthur's scabbard-induced immortality. [[spoiler:This is because the swords contain the power of and are actually derived from Excalibur itself, which is the magical AbsurdlySharpBlade that can penetrate the defense of the scabbard.]]
** [[spoiler:Caliburn’s own name is a clue to indicate that he is the true Excalibur, because in real-life, “Caliburn” is what the sword was originally called before European authors changed it to Excalibur”.]]
** At the beginning of the game, when Sonic pulls Caliburn out of the stone, it’s an obvious reference to King Arthur pulling out the sword in the stone. [[spoiler:And at the end of the game, Sonic is revealed to be the true King Arthur.]]
* GenderFlip: Sir Percival is flipped to female, due to his role being occupied by Blaze the Cat.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: [[spoiler:Merlina's corrupt alter ego, the Dark Queen.]]
* GracefulLadiesLikePurple: Merlina's dress [[spoiler:and hair when she becomes the Dark Queen]].
* GreenHillZone: Misty Lake, Titanic Plain, and Great Megalith.
* HardTruthAesop: Living in a world that continues without end, at the risk of disrupting natural order, isn't a great way for one to live their life, and they should instead make the most out of their time before the end comes.
* HarmlessFreezing: Characters don't take damage from being frozen, they are merely immobilized until they break free.
* HeroVsVillainDuet: "With Me", the final boss theme, is sung from both Sonic and [[spoiler:Merlina's]] perspectives. Sonic's parts are about how one must accept the fact that everything must come to an end, regardless of how much it hurts while [[spoiler:Merlina's]] parts are about how she can keep anything she wants from ending.
* HumbleHero: Surprisingly, [[spoiler:Sonic reveals himself to be this in the end. When trying to comfort Merlina about the end of Camelot, he tells her to live life to the fullest in the time left, but admits that's just his perspective. This is consistent with his ImageSong, ''It Doesn't Matter,'' where he admits he can't tell what's wrong or right.]]
* ImmortalityInducer: The scabbard of Excalibur does this to whoever holds it. It seems to act as an advanced HealingFactor that fixes wounds in seconds while keeping the wielder alive regardless of damage. [[spoiler:It's Merlina's goal to obtain it and grant ''the world itself'' the scabbard's blessing.]] The only thing that can nullify it is [[spoiler:Excalibur itself, and by extension the four Sacred Swords when all are brought together]].
* InstantArmor: Excalibur Sonic gets this during his transformation.
* InterfaceSpoiler: The pre-level menu has the name "Sonic" on the list, and with his big hedgehog head in a portrait beside it. At first, it can't be selected. Gee, I wonder if we'll eventually get to [[spoiler:change characters by selecting his name]].
* IronicEcho: At the beginning of the game before drawing Caliburn, Merlina tells Sonic that if he accepts this role and defeats King Arthur, there's a good chance he'll be seen as a king-slayer and no hero, to which Sonic replies "he doesn't mind being the bad guy." Come the final battle, [[spoiler:and Sonic repeats the same sentiment as [[BigBad Dark Queen Merlina]] tries to call him out on trying to stop her plans for an eternal kingdom]].
* KidAmidTheChaos: Played with. Sonic stumbles across a child weeping over her parents and fellow townspeople being kidnapped by a dragon, and decides to go clear up the mess himself. [[spoiler:However, it turns out that the child is really Nimue in disguise, employing a SecretTestOfCharacter to see what Sonic would do.]] He passes with flying colours.
* LavaSurfing: In The Cauldron stage.
* TheLostWoods: Deep Woods and Shrouded Forest.
* MeaningfulName: Caliburn. [[spoiler:The fact that his name sounds a lot like Excalibur isn’t a coincidence, because at the end of the game, it’s revealed that Excalibur is Caliburn’s true form. Also, "Caliburn" is what Excalibur was originally called in real-life before its name was altered in later versions of the Arthurian legends.]]
* MedalOfDishonor: Several of the unlockable emblems in the Treasury can only be obtained through dishonorable acts or screwing up especially hard:
** Despised One: Attack multiple townspeople in a single level.
** Chicken: Repeatedly attack enemies [[InTheBack from behind]].
** Weakling: Get hit by enemies several times.
** Coward: Repeatedly commit dishonorable behavior.
** Ruffian: Destroy a lot of property such as barrels or pots.
* TheMiddleAges: The game's setting is in a fantasy version of Medieval England.
* MonoNoAware: What this game's twist on the King Arthur story ultimately boils down to. [[spoiler:Merlina, knowing that the story will end with the kingdom in ruin, wishes to use her magic to make the kingdom eternal, but Sonic doesn't see the point in a world that lasts forever, and thinks instead that we should just let things be and live life to the fullest in the time we have.]]
* MusicalNod
** The pre-boss themes of Lancelot and Gawain are "Throw It All Away" from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' and the first ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' game's version of "Unknown from M.E." (Knuckles' theme), respectively.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANYx4BSDQJE Blacksmith Menu]]" is a rearranged theme of "Believe in Myself" from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: The Royal Knights, particularly Lancelot. Gawain and Percival have more reservations, but Gawain has the strongest reaction to failing in his duties.
* MythologyGag:
** When you are on the character select screen right before starting a level in one-player mode, Sonic's thumbs-up pose looks very similar to his official render in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.
** Lancelot and Gawain employ instrumental versions of the classic "Throw It All Away" from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' and "Unknown from M.E." from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. [[spoiler:The riff from [=SA's=] "It Doesn't Matter" kicks in right before Caliburn becomes Excalibur.]]
** Whenever Sonic gets a one-star on any level, he'll dejectedly say, "Shoot, not my day", just like when he gets an E-Rank in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''.
* NoSympathy: In the ending, Amy doesn't buy Sonic's reasons for why he missed out on their date because he was being sent to the Aruthurian times, and proceeds to chase him with her hammer.
* NominalHero: Inverted. Sonic is essentially a nominal ''villain''; Merlina warns him that setting out to defeat King Arthur and becoming a "king-slayer" is not the work of heroes and Sonic says "he doesn't mind being the bad guy", but this is never explored [[spoiler:aside from a brief IronicEcho during the final battle when Dark Queen Merlina tries to talk down at him and he repeats the sentiment]]. The fact that the game employs a HundredPercentHeroismRating mechanic also makes things strange.
* NoobBridge: The [[WillOTheWisp Will-O-Wisps]] are glowing blue orbs of energy that explode and can hurt you when hit. You're supposed to use the "kick" mechanic to kick them into things. Thing is, that mechanic is only really used twice in the main game, and those instances are easy to miss, so you might not even know you can when you find the Wisps much more often in the post-game.
* NotWorthKilling: King Arthur's reaction to Sonic after their first fight.
* OhCrap: Sonic gets a ''big'' one when, at the very end of the game, Amy accuses him of forgetting their date and breaks out her hammer. Sonic promptly runs away, screaming for mercy.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: This games features two of them; The Mist Dragon and the Earth Dragon.
* PalmtreePanic: Misty Lake.
* PimpedOutCape: Merlina.
* PimpedOutDress: Amy's dress as the Lady of the Lake.
* PlanetHeck: Molten Mine and The Cauldron.
* PopStarComposer: Frickin' ''Marty Friedman from Music/{{Megadeth}}'' does the guitar work for the final boss theme.
* PragmaticHero: Sonic [[spoiler:was fully willing to allow The Grand Kingdom to come to an end rather than allow Merlina to use her magic to make it eternal and plague it with the denizens of the Underworld]]. His quote pretty much sums this up:
-->'''Sonic:''' "I don't mind playing the bad guy once in a while."
* RecycledSoundtrack: The Molten Mine background music is a rearranged theme from the obscure shooter [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Dawn_(video_game) Black Dawn]], which Tommy Tallarico previously worked on. The Great Megalith stage features another track from ''Black Dawn'' as its background music, and unlike Molten Mine, this wasn't a rearrangement.
* ReverseGrip: How Shadow/Lancelot prefers to wield. Sonic also holds his own sword like this when grinding.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: King Arthur, [[spoiler:both the fake and the genuine article, ''Sonic the Hedgehog'']].
* SaveTheVillain: Sonic to Percival, though calling her a villain is [[MyMasterRightOrWrong a bit of a stretch.]]
* SelfInflictedHell: Implied with [[spoiler:Merlina as the Queen of the Underworld. She]] looks pale, cold, and sad, as though [[spoiler:she]] is becoming undead herself.
* ShipTease:
** While initially startled into fleeing from the Lady of the Lake (Amy Rose's doppelganger), a few seconds into the conversation, he cozies right up to her until Caliburn tells him off.
** It's not hard to see the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h51Vp5Jfxmo cutscene]] in which Sonic saves Percival as one for Sonic/Blaze.
* ShutUpHannibal: When the main villain claims Sonic could never understand their sorrow, Sonic simply retorts "Good, 'cause I don't ever want to know such one-sided sadness."
* SlippySlideyIceWorld: Shrouded Forest.
* SurprisinglyGentleSong: Live Life, compared to most of Crush 40's typical hard rocking songs for the Sonic series, is a slow, optimistic rock ballad about living life to the fullest.
* StabTheSky: Sonic does this upon defeating King Arthur.
* StatusEffects: Paralysis will prevent Sonic from being able to move temporarily, poisoning will cause ring drainage, freezing has the same effect as paralysis except you have to break free of the ice, petrification equals instant death, and confusion will make Sonic occasionally hallucinate and see enemies as treasure boxes and vice-versa.
* StoodUp: Apparently Sonic's adventure in Aruthurian times sidetracked him from going on a date with Amy.
-->'''Amy:''' ''(After Sonic explained what happened)'' That's the lamest excuse ever! You just forgot about our date!
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Played with. Merlina is obviously this to Shahra from ''Secret Rings'', and is made out to fill a similar role in the story. [[spoiler:Then it turns out she's the game's ''main villain''.]]
* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Happens literally at least four times in the game, as Sonic needs the sacred swords together in order to nullify the power of Arthur's scabbard.
* TalkingWeapon: And ''does'' it. Caliburn is amazingly egotistical.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Sonic and Caliburn snark at each other a lot even when they team up.
* TechnicolorToxin: When a character is poisoned, purple bubbles will appear around them.
* TrueBlueFemininity: Amy/Nimue's dress.
* UndergroundLevel: Crystal Cave and Dragon's Lair.
* VideoGameCaringPotential: You can perform Acts of Chivalry by giving rings to the townspeople (provided that you have 20 to give) and in return (if you succeed on the Quick Time Events) said towns-person will give you an item. Doing this will also add to the Knight's Honor bonus.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: After seeing Amy as Lady Nimue, Sonic is initially terrified of being near her until he's reminded to respect Lady Nimue, at which point he grows more comfortable around her — something he's ''very rarely'' able to do around Amy.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: You can actually attack the innocent townspeople. However, [[VideoGameCrueltyPunishment doing so has a negative impact on your score and can saddle you with negative titles]].
* WarriorVersusSorcerer: The final battle of the story is between Sonic and [[spoiler:Dark Queen Merlina]]. Sonic is a KnightInShiningArmor who wields a sword, while [[spoiler:Merlina is an AntiVillain sorceress fighting to save her world]].
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Merlina turns out to be one. Her reasons for doing so are so sympathetic that Sonic doesn't hold any grudge against her after defeating her.]]
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: [[spoiler:Sonic and Merlina take opposite views on this — Sonic would rather make the most of his time, while Merlina would rather not see Camelot face its eventual fall.]]
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: It's stated that King Arthur turned evil due to Excalibur's scabbard of immortality. [[spoiler:Judging by all evidence, something similar happened to Merlina as well.]]
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: [[spoiler:No, King Arthur is ''not'' the FinalBoss.]]

* VillainSong: Played with: "With Me", the final boss theme, is sung from both the boss's perspective ''and'' the protagonist's perspective.

* Musical Nod

** The pre-boss themes of Lancelot and Gawain are "Throw It All Away" from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' and the first ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' game's version of "Unknown from M.E." (Knuckles' theme), respectively.
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANYx4BSDQJE Blacksmith Menu]]" is a rearranged theme of "Believe in Myself" from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''.

** Whilst Sonic, Gawain, Percival, and Lancelot's swords are normal-sized, they're still longer than the characters are tall. [[spoiler:Excalibur]] is even bigger.

* RetCanon: Sonic loving chili dogs was initially an element of the 90's Western canon (''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'', and ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics''). It was introduced into game canon in a Japanese manual for ''Advance 3'', and ''Unleashed'' has chili dogs being one of the highest XP-granting food items (with Chip even saying it's something Sonic really likes), but ''Sonic and the Black Knight'' is the first time Sonic has been seen eating a chili dog on-screen in the games.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The ones where]] Sonic goes road trippin' inside public domain tales.

** Lots of people wonder where exactly Sonic is crashing at the beginning of Secret Rings' story, considering he doesn't have a house of his own... [[VideoGame/SonicBattle except he does]].

* StatusEffects: Paralysis will prevent Sonic from being able to move temporarily, poisoning will cause ring drainage, freezing has the same effect as payalysis except you have to break free of the ice, petrification equals instant death, and confusion will make Sonic occasionally hallucinate and see enemies as treasure boxes and vice-versa.

* StandardStatusEffects: Paralysis will prevent Sonic from being able to move temporarily, poisoning will cause ring drainage, freezing has the same effect as payalysis except you have to break free of the ice, petrification equals instant death, and confusion will make Sonic occasionally hallucinate and see enemies as treasure boxes and vice-versa.

TheOneWhere Sonic reenacts the plot of ''WesternAnimation/ThePagemaster''.

* ExpositionFairy: Shahra and Caliburn.

* UndergroundLevel

* BenevolentGenie: Shahra.
** Erazor, too, ironically: when he grants Sonic's three wishes.
* BigFancyCastle: Night Palace.

* ''Sonic and the Black Knight'' (2009), based on the legend of KingArthur.

* DeathMountain: Titanic Plain and Great Megalith.